Semi-automatic breech-loading ordnance.



No. 703,375. 'Patented July I I902.

V i w. H. BEVANS. y SEMI-AUTOMATIC BREECH LOADING ORDNANCE;

(Application filed Jan. 9, 1900.\ (No Model.) 2 Sheets -Shee't I.

No. 703,375. f Patented July I, I902.

W. H. BEVANS;

SEMI-AUTOMATIC BREECH LOADING ORDNANCE.

- (Application filed Jan. 9, 1900A (No Model.) 2 Sheets$heet 2.v

TH: "cams mans c0.. PQoro-Lrma, vasnmsrou n c UNITED STATES PATENTWILLIAM H. BEVANS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

SEMI-AUTOMATIC BREECH-LOADING OFIDNANCE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 703,375, dated July 1,1902. Application filed January 9,1900. Serial No. 847. (N model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that-I, WILLIAM H. BnvANs, a

citizen of theUnited States, residing at Wash ington, in the District ofColumbia, have in-' 7 energy of recoil of the gun to cook the hamthelimit of its recoil.

mer, open the breech, extract the cartridgecase, and when trippedautomatically by the insertion of a fresh cartridge or by hand to returnthe breech-block to its position, closing the breech.

The special features of my invention are its simplicity, itsadaptability with slight modifications to breech-loadin g ordnancehaving differently-constructed breech mechanisms, it being not limitedto guns having transversely-movable blocks, as illustrated in thepresent instance, but may be used with other forms of breech mechanismswherein the block swings to open the breech or moves vided with myinvention, the parts being in Fig. 2 is a similar their normalpositions. I View with the gun omitted, showing the positions of theparts when the gun has reached Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2,showing the positions of the parts when the gun has returned tofiring-positionand the breech-block has been moved to open the breech.Fig. 4: is an enlarged sectional view through one of the walls of thegun-breech and the crank-shaft operating mechanism. Figs. 5 and 6 aredetail views of the plunger for locking the crank-arm andspring-cylinder together. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a modifiedconstruction. Fig. 8 is a horizontal section through the gun-breech,showing the construction for automatically releasing the spring-cylinderfrom the crankarm. Figs. 9, 10, and 11 are sectional views showing theoperation of the parts in automatically disengaging the cylinder fromthe crank-arm. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the locking-plunger.Fig. 13 is a detached view of the false extractor and its actuating'ineans.-

The gun here illustrated is provided with the common form of breechmechanism known as the Hotchkiss breech mechanism, some of the partshaving been removed in the application of my invention, and saidmechan-- ism forms no part of my present invention. The Hotchkissmechanism, briefly stated, consists ofa drop-block which is adapted tobe moved transversely of the axis of the gun by a crank A on a shaft B,which projects to the exterior of the gun-breech. (Shown in Fig. 4.) Theend of: the crank A moves in a cam-slot in the block, sothat when theshaft is rotatedthe block is moved to unmask the gun-bore or close thesame. The extractor E is provided with a lug E, which moves in anextractor-slot formed in the breech-block. As the block moves downwardlythe extractor is drawn rearwardly, removing the empty cartridge-casefrom the gun when the downward movement of the block is sufficient tounmask-the bore. A'crank-handle is provided for rotating shaft B, saidhandle carrying a cocking-cam, which engages a cookingtoe, and the firstmovementof said crankhandle eii'ects the cocking of. the hammer.

In the application ofm'y invention to a gun provided with the breechmechanism above set forth the crank-handle for shaft B and the by thestud. Within cylinder 0 is a spiral or what is known as a clock-springH, one

end of said spring being screwed to the stud.

and its opposite end attached to the cylinder. Loose upon shaft 0 is ashort arm I, to which one end of a rearwardly-extending arm or lever Jis pivotally connected. The opposite end of said arm J is pivoted to anattachingplate J, screwed to some convenient part of the mount. Arm I isformed on its free end beyond its pivotal connection with arm .I with acasing 1, containing a revolving locking member 70, having an elongatedtoe 7t, adapted to move in said concentric slot E of cylinder 0. Aspring 7b in said casing has a tendency to revolve said locking memberuntil toe it extends transversely of the slot. This rotation of thelocking member, however, is prevented by the engagement of the toe withthe walls of said slot. YVhen the gun recoils, the outer end of arm I isdrawn forwardly through the medium of its pivotal connection with arm orlever J, the toe of the locking member moving in slot E of the cylinder.Then the toe of said locking member reaches the enlarged end of slot IE,it is turned to extend transversely thereof by a spring 71., saidenlargement being sufficient to permit such rotation of the lockingmember, thus locking the arm and cylinder together. The gun havingreached the limit of its recoil, the parts have assumed the positions asillustrated in Fig. 2. Upon the return of the gun to the battery arm Iis returned to its original position, carrying with it the cylinder andwinding the spring therein. The rotation of the cylinder,which is keyedto the operating-shaft l3, rocks said shaft and effects the downwardmovement of the breech-block to open the breech.

Fig. 3 clearly illustrates the positions of the various parts when thebreech has been opened and the gun ready for loading. The cylinder isheld in the position shown in Fig. 3-3, and the block in its loweredposition by the abutting of the toe of the locking member against theend wall of the enlargement of slot E. The locking member has an arm vi,to which a tripping-cord j is attached, and when a fresh cartridge hasbeen placed in the gun the breech may be closed by drawing upon saidcord, which revolves the locking member, bringing the toe thereof inline with the concentric slot, so that the cylinder may be returned toits normal position by its spring. The cylinder is formed with' thecocking-cam L,which engages the usual cocking-toe used in the IIotchkissmechanism, so that the movement of the cylinder effects the cooking ofthe hammer. Said cylinder is also provided with a handle M for thepurpose of effecting the opening of the breech by hand at the beginningof the firing and also for the purpose of operating the breech-block byhand should the mechanism become injured and not operate effectively.

In the modified construction, illustrated by Figs. 7 to 13, inclusive,the cylinder and arm I are constructed similarly to the constructionjust described, with the exception that an inwardly-pressedspring-plunger K is provided instead of the revolving locking member,and instead of the enlarged forward end of the concentric slot in flangeof the cylinder a countersink is made, forming the seat t" for thelarger portion of the plunger. The plunger has a reduced outer end m,which moves in slot E of the cylinder. A false extractor or moves in agroove in the breech, and a spring 0 tends to normally press the samerear-wardly, as illustrated in Fig. 8. iVhen, however, a cartridge is inposition in the gun, this extractor is in the position illustrated bydotted lines in said figure and is held in the position by the cartridgeagainst the tension of its spring. The wall of the gun-breech is formedwith a chamber 19 extending transversely therethrough, and in thischamber a tripping-bolt q is positioned. This tripping-bolt has aninclined or cam inner end '1', which has a tendency to normally projectinto the interior of the breech-housing, owing to the pressure of aspring .9, but.

is prevented from so doing by the false extractor when the latter is inits forward position. The outer end of said bolt is therefore projectedfrom the breech and into the concentric slot of the spring-cylinder. Thefalse extractor is formed with a slot it, having an inclined or cam endwall t. When the gun recoils, the outer end of arm I moves forwardly,the reduced portion of the plunger carried by said arm moving in theconcentric slot of the cylinder until the countersink is reached, whenthe enlarged portion of said plunger is forced thereinto by its spring.As the gun returns to battery arm I moves in its original position,carrying with it the cylinder and winding the spring therein. Thebreech-block is thus moved to unmask the bore of the gun. In themeantime the true extractor has extracted the cartridge-case and thefalse extractor has been forced rearwardly by its spring, bringing itsslot into position to receive the inner end of the tripping bolt, whichis caused to enter said slot by its spring. The parts have now assumedthe positions illustrated in Figs. 8 and 10. The device is tripped toclose the breech by inserting a cartridge and pressing the sameforwardly until the false extractor has been moved far enough to pressthe tripping-bolt outwardly, which it does through the engagement of thecam-wall of its slot with the cam end of the bolt. The inner end of saidbolt engages the reduced portion of the lockingplunger and as the boltis moved outwardly forces the plunger from the countersink, asillustrated in Fig. 11. There being thus no obstruction to theindependent rotation of the cylinder, it is rotated to its originalposition by the unwinding of its spring and the breechblock moved toclose the breech.

IIO

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. The combination with a breech-loading gun, a recoil-mount, and abreech-block, of an arm pivoted to the gun, an arm carried by anon-'recoiling part of the mount and having ter-recoil of the gun, andmeans for disconnecting said arm from said block, substantially asdescribed.

3. The combination with a breech-loading gun, a recoil-mount, andabreech-block, of an arm pivoted to the gun, an arm pivoted to anon-recoiling part of the mount and having an operative connection withsaid first- -mentioned arm, means for operatively connecting saidfirst-mentioned arm with the block on counter-recoil of the gun, aspring placed under tension by said arm, and means for disconnectingsaid arm from said block to permit the latter to be closed by thespring, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination with a breech-loading gun, a recoil-mount, abreech-block, and a rock-shaft for actuating said block, an arm loose onsaid shaft,an arm pivoted to a non- ,recoiling part of the mountandhaving an operative connection with said first-mentioned arm,and meansfor automatically lockin g said first-mentionedarm to the shaftoncounterrecoil of the gun, substantially as described.

5; The combination with a breech-loading gun, a'recoil-mount, abreeoh-bloclqanda j rock-shaft for actuating-said block, an arm loose onsaid shaft, an arm pivoted to a nonrecoiling part of the mount andhaving an operative connection with said firstmentioned arm, means forautomatically locking said first-mentioned arm to the shaft oncounter-recoil .of thegun, and means'for releasing-said arm from saidshaft, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a breech-loading gun, a recoil-mount, and abreech-block, of

;an arm pivoted to the gun, an arm pivoted to the mount and having anoperative, connection with said first-mentioned arm, means foroperatively connecting said first-mentioned arm with the block oncounter-recoil of the gun, a spring placed under tension by said arm,and means for automatically releasing said first-mentioned arm from theblock when a fresh cartridge is inserted in the gun, substantially asdescribed.

7 The combination with a breech-loading gun, a recoil-mount, and abreech-block, of

an arm pivoted to the gun and movable relatively to the block, meansfor-preventing such relative movement of the arm on counter-recoil ofthe gun, and an arm carried by a non-recoiling part of the mount andoperatively connected with said pivoted arm, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a breech-loading gun, a recoil-mount, and abreech-block, of an arm pivoted to the gun and movable relatively to theblock, means for preventing such relative movement of the arm oncounter-recoil of the gun, means for releasingsaid arm, an arm carriedby a non-recoilin'g part of the mount and operatively connected withsaid pivoted arm, and meansfor moving the block to its closed position,substantially as described.

9. The combination with a breech-loading gun, a recoil-mount, abreech-block, and a rock-shaft actuating the block; of an arm fixed onsaid shaft, an arm loose onsaid shaft, locking means for locking saidarms together on counter-recoil of the gun, an'arm carried by anon-recoiling part of the mount and pivoted to said loose arm, a springconnected to the gun andto said fixedarm', and atripping" device foroperating said locking means to release the fixed arm from the loosearm, substantially as described.

10. The combination with a breech-loading gun, a recoil-mount, abreech-block, and a rock-shaft actuating the block, of an arm fixed onsaid shaft, an arm loose on said shaft, locking means for lockin gsaid'arms together on counter-recoil of the gun,anarm carried by anon-recoiling part of the mount and pivoted to said loose arm, a springconnected to the gun and to said fixed arm, and asliding extractoradapted to operate said locking device to release the fixed arm from theloose arm, substantially'as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM H. BEVAN'S.

WVitnesses:

M. 'J. OLEARY, W. M. SMITH.

